Some attractions are staying open thanks to funding from states and charitable groups.
The huddled masses are still able to visit the Statue of Liberty. The Grand Canyon is open for business. The government says other national parks “will remain as accessible as possible,” although some roads at Rocky Mountain National Park are closed as snow goes unplowed.
But, while the star-spangled banner yet waves at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, the gates at the War of 1812 landmark are locked.
Tourists trekking to parks and historic sites across the U. S. on Saturday are seeing a mix of impacts from the federal government’s second shutdown in less than a year.
Some attractions are staying open thanks to funding from states and charitable groups.
At some parks, you’re welcome to take a hike — but you’re largely on your own. At others, like the closed Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, you’re out of luck.
Utah’s state government is paying to staff the visitor centers at Arches, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks. Arizona is ponying up to keep trails, shuttles and restrooms open at the Grand Canyon. New York is footing the bill for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for the third shutdown in five years.
“Many travelers have planned their visit for months in advance and have traveled from all over the world to be here,” said Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican. “We want them to return home with memories of magnificent vistas and welcoming people, not locked doors.”
The shutdown is affecting nine of the 15 Cabinet-level departments, including Interior, which runs national parks, and Agriculture, which runs national forests. About 16,000 National Park Service employees — 80 percent of the agency’s workforce — are being furloughed.
It’s also closing some of the nation’s presidential libraries.
